A Story to Remember

Out in the cold, you see despair treading city streets, sleeping in card board boxes , cars and old tool sheds.
People who have long ago given up to it, feeling nothing they do, will change any of it.
They exist without feelings or thought, empty shells, having lost all hope.

But once in a while you see a man with sparkling eyes and a smile surrounded by an aura
of internal warmth.
He's accepted his situation and has not given up because he knows he carries a treasure inside.

Man was created from clay, earth..... and like a clay pot, he carries his treasures within, which make all of us, the people we were born to be.

We carry life, a soul, wisdom, experiences, love, grace, generosity, kindness, and most of all
God.
We carry him and his blessings, every where we go.
We carry his story.

Because he is in us, hope can never be lost and
change is always possible.
The only thing that stops something better from being achieved is,
to not want to try.

-----------
On a cold winters' day, a man with sparkling eyes and a smile surrounded by an aura
of internal warmth, stood by a school waiting for the children. They came out one by one.

Some lighting a cigarette, some a joint, some swearing, and some beautiful people who
walked by silently, giving him a curious, disturbed look.
As he sat there in the parking lot, a few stopped at first to kid him and then to ask him his story.

As he began his story, more and more kids began to surround him, for his story was both wonderful and sad. His eyes continued to sparkle and the smile never left his lips as as he talked .
It was as if he was full of joy and contained the most deepest of secrets.

He was calm, depicting some kind of inner strength, accepting of his plight and intriguing enough, for kids to want to hear more.
One gave him a hot cup of coffee to warm his hands.
Another had a cookie.
The janitor came out to the dumpsters to throw out a few carton boxes and stood, to watch the man, before going back inside. Before long the Principal came out to the group to see what was going on and listened to the continuing tale.

She was going to call the police but hesitated, for something about this man pulled her to him.
She told the children to go home and asked the man to follow her inside.

And it was here he kept on with his tale whereby other teachers, counselors and secretaries began to stop and listen from behind the Principals door.
They brought him a cup of soup from the microwave and finally asked him if there was someplace he had to go.

The man told them, wherever he is , is a good place to be, thanked them and walked out the schools' front door.

During the week, he came every day to the parking lot and as the kids saw him, they would approach wanting more of his stories and brought him many things. A book , gloves, a sleeping bag, sandwiches, McDonald burgers, and as word went around about this strange man, who broke no laws and had so much to offer in terms of keeping kids out of trouble, a curious parent took an interest.

He asked the man his name and was given the name Joe.
The parent was an off duty policeman and asked him if he had a place to stay and the man said: Wherever I am, is a good place to be.

Well then, come with us and be in another good place.
The parent smiled and offered his hand to carry Joes' bag.

Joe smiled and got into the car.
He was brought to a modest house where two, ear to ear smiling kids, couldn't do enough for him
They took his coat and his boots. settled him into a nice comfy couch and turned on the fireplace to warm him up.
There was more coffee and cake as dishes clanked and dinner was being put together on a stove.
Outside gentle flakes of snow began to feather the sky and as Joe gazed outside he closed his eyes.

He was quietly covered by a blanket and left alone to sleep.
He slumbered through dinner and through the night.

It was Saturday morning and every one was up early. The kids waited till they saw Joes' eyes open and ran to tell the parents: Joe's up! Joe's up!

Joe asked for the use of the bathroom.
Mrs Linwood gave him a towel and told him to help himself to a shower and a shave. She had a change of clothing for him consisting of a thick fleecy shirt, jeans, wool socks and underwear.
Over breakfast of bacon and eggs, toast and jam and as it turns out, Joe preferred tea,
Joe told the parents he was a University Professor, by trade.

He lost his way after the death of his wife and children in a car accident.
His life became a journey as he ventured out into the world to find them.

He keeps walking because he sees them every where and they keep him warm and safe.
They are always happy to see him, wherever he is and he takes great comfort in this.

He touched the head of the youngest child.
You look like my little Marilynn and you son, look like my son Paul.
Paul looked at his Dad.

Joe lifted his thin knuckled hand to his eye to wipe away a tear.

Tell us more stories Joe, quipped Annie Rose.

Don't bother Joe . Corrected Mother giving Joe a chance to collect himself.

It's all right. I have plenty to tell and Joe began a story about a legend he heard in Greece and myths from far away India and Africa.

Paul was 14 years old and he sat wide eyed, totally absorbed, as if he never heard a story before.
At the end of Joes' stories, Dad cleared his throat and looked at his wife.

Joe, you have to spend the night and go to church with us tomorrow.

I could go to church. Wherever I am, is a good place to be. He smiled.

That Saturday, the Linwood family spent together at home, taking care of Joe and loving it.
Love flowed and surrounded the family in a beautiful candle like glow.

Every one was happy. Happier than they've been in a long time.
Paul didn't rush to soccer. Mom didn't go shopping or talk on the phone.
Annie didn't play outside with her friends
And Dad stayed in the house, instead of the garage.

The next day word got around in church and people were waiting for the arrival of this now famous Joe.
People greeted him as he walked in with the family.

Joe listened to the Pastor speak on the importance of family with bent head.
After church, there was a cafeteria full of finger food to snack on and this gave the Pastor a chance to come for a little visit with Joe.

Hi! I'm Pastor Wilkes .
He put out his hand to shake Joes' .
Welcome to our Parish Joe.
I understand you are a Professor?

Yes. I taught physics.

Where about you from Joe?

From every where and no where in particular.
I was born in Montreal.

Oh gosh, you are far away from home.
chuckled the Pastor.

Yes and no, depending on how you want to see it.
The world is a pretty small place.

Well you sure made an impact with your stories .
I was wondering if you would like to attend our meeting tomorrow night.
We would sure love to hear more of your travels and there will be a supper served.

Joe stood a long time and looked deep into the eyes of the Pastor.
He then looked into the eyes of
the people around him full of hope and wanting.

Thank you.
he said quietly.
I'd like that.

At home with the Linwoods, he helped with the cooking and the washing up of the dishes.
and of course there were more after dinner stories.

The children learned about love, in a way they never heard before.
They learned more about a man who looked death in the eye and refused to accept it.
They met his family, his children and his dog through his eyes and heart and they were as alive to them, as they were to him.

Joe attended the meeting with the pastor and was offered a job at a local college to teach Humanities. "Through the Eyes of Love."

His courses were always packed because it seemed people had a thirst and a longing to know what love really was .

The little town of Dunsmore, began to change slowly as the year came to an end.

Kids stopped doing drugs. Adults stopped drinking. Families began spending more time together . Chores were all done without having to ask for them to be.
There were fewer car accidents, fewer crimes, fewer deaths, fewer people in hospitals, less homelessness as people went home to friends and relatives instead of depending on social welfare and housing programs and more family dinners with Gramma and Grand pa.

Houses began to flower as each street began to take care of their gardens, growing vegetables and raising chicks and bunnies.
The city began to have more money in its' coffers so taxes could be lowered.

Things were really beginning to unexpectedly change, in a big way.

One day Joe disappeared as mysteriously as he appeared.
He took nothing with him except his old clothes.
People looked for him and missed him.
They wondered why he left, since they thought he fit right in.

But they understood Joe.
He left behind his kind eyes and smile and his words echoed
from hearts which were once blessed to sit and listen, by his side.

Every where I am......is a good place to be.
A.L.L.

Have a good one.

:)


An Arab Sheik was admitted to St Vincent's Hospital for heart surgery, but prior to the surgery, the doctors needed to store his blood in case the need arises. As the gentleman had a rare type of blood, it couldn't be found locally, so, the call went out to all the states. Finally a Scot was located who had a similar blood type. The Scot willingly donated his blood for the Arab. After the surgery, the Arab sent the Scotsman as appreciation for giving his blood, a new BMW, diamonds & US dollars. A couple of days later, once again, the Arab had to go through a corrective surgery. His doctor telephoned the Scotsman who was more than happy to donate his blood again. After the second surgery, the Arab sent the Scotsman a thank-you card & a jar of candies. The Scotsman was shocked that the Arab this time did not reciprocate his kind gesture as he had anticipated. He phoned the Arab & asked him: "I thought you would be generous again, that you would give me a BMW, diamonds & money... But you only gave me a thank-you card & a jar of candies".

To this the Arab replied:

"Aye, but I now have Scottish blood in me veins".__

Dollar Down Dollar a Week.

In the 50's what we call abuse today was prevalent. The idea was spare the rod spoil the child.
However no one complained cause every one had their turn lol
Kids were not wooses like they are today, always complaining.
Spanking was a way of life and I am not sure it was a bad thing.

No kid ever got damaged from a spanking and it wasn't like what they did to people in hospitals.
I got spanked and all my friends got spanked. We'd see big guys with beards get chased by their little Fathers with a stick but not one ever laid a hand to their parent. Kids were good kids in those days and we all grew up to be good family people.

My Dad was strict but he was also the life spirit in our house.
My Mom was meticulous about cleanliness as she was a surgical nurse before coming to Canada. During the war she saw lots of blood and in the camps the doctors made it her job to help them. If she did not give them the right instruments she'd get slapped, so she learned quickly, but her nature was against blood so when she'd see it she would get dizzy and almost faint. I'd always laugh and ask: Mom, what kind of nurse were you? and she'd give me a sour look lol

But her floors were clean enough to eat from and she would always complain if we did something to dirty them. She ironed and especially loved to hang her clothes outside in winter so they came in a little damp cause they were frozen, but so fresh smelling and the rest of the drying they did on hangers before being ironed. We did the same with the Carpet in winter. We'd take it out into the snow and throw snow on it and then broom it off on both sides and then bring it back in. The carpet would always look great. This was a great job for kids to do and I enjoyed it a lot. Who said cleaning sucks. lol
I never remember using chemicals on it. People get sick because of these chemicals. In our house we only used Parissienne Javel.

I was not exposed to dance or ballet or piano but I was exposed to other things. My Mom handled story telling, reading and writing. My Dad played the guitar and my Mom and would sing. We both had good singing voices.
She was very critical about the writing and it had to be perfect. How many times I'd be in tears because I didn't do a letter the way she wanted it.
But eventually I got smart and told her my hand writing was better than hers and she'd laugh cause then I would tell her to write the way she wanted me to. lol
Pressure always made you look for solutions to your problems and made you of stronger mind than people who have things done for them, problems solved for them.

I had my own bike which I had to keep spotless and I took great pride in it. My Mom would always check at night to make sure I slept but she slept in the early morning and I had plenty of time before school to take off on my bike and she never knew. Mornings were so nice especially in the fall.

My Dad was a hands on man, very athletic and liked to do everything himself. He loved cars and would tinker with them and I would be at his side. I loved the smell of oil and gas and grease. His cars had lots of chrome and white tires and I would love to help him polish cause driving a spiffy car was special. I asked him one day to teach me about motors but he refused and told me to keep my hands clean and be a lady.

I had animals like rabbits ducks kittens and dogs. He'd take me to the farm to see horses and tell me about how he worked on one for a year, to pay his sponsor for his boat ride across the ocean.
He had two huge draft horses to till the land with and he said they were the nicest animals but the farmer beat them and they feared him . If they saw him coming they'd go nuts. He said one day he brought them into the barn and didn't see the farmer coming but the horses did and they almost killed him trying to get away. The farmer was always drunk and not very nice.
The horses broke the supporting beam to the barn and it collapsed. He said it was a very thick beam.

After this episode my Dad went and complained to the farmers' brother, also a farmer and this one was a good guy, so he took him away to work for him and my Dad sighed a sigh of relief.
He said he was given a truck to drive and this guy was a well to do farmer as well as a good family man and he lent money to people because of hard times.

Every week he would make his rounds to see what he could collect back, a dollar here, a dollar there. People were honest and paid back what they could so his pocket was always full of money.lol
Then they would come home and he'd ask my Dad if he ever ate steak. My Dad said yes he did. The farmer said not like this one and then he'd take a huge thick steak and flip it a few times over a hot skillet and served it to him.
Those were lean times when steak was not that accessible so my Dad said he ate it with him with such delight. After this He always made steak at home with the same delight this farmer served him his first Canadian steak.
After that first year paying off the sposor was done, my Dad and his Dad carried two jobs to help save money. Every one worked.
My aunt and grand mother at a sewing factory and the guys in a garage and then later in huge companies like Canadian Vickers and Canada Air as machinists. European people were hired quickly because everyone knew they knew their jobs and were quite educated.

Before long they bought a lot and built a house. My Dad got married and then bought his own lot and began building his own house and I was born into this constructive time.

In between they grew gardens, pickled winter preserves. We'd go berry picking. He taught me about mushrooms. We'd go in the fall around 4:30 am into farmers woods to collect them.
The woods had rich black soil and I so enjoyed foraging with him through them. We'd come home with bags full which we had to dump right away and clean in salty water to get any little worm that might have crawled in, out.
My Mom would take over and wash them, cook them and then pickle them. They made their own shredded salted cabbage, and pickled guerkins as well as tomatoes and jams. We'd go apple picking and she made apple sauce and put that away for winter.We had rhubarb she also cooked and canned.
One time we went apple picking and my Dad found a wounded hawk. He brought it out of the woods and we saw one of the claws was frozen shut and it could in no way be opened. Seems it was shot by a hunter. So we took it home and my Mom laid out one room wall to wall with newspaper.
The bird ate a whole fresh turkey and behaved itself. We let it walk freely in the room. When he had to go, he'd lift his tail and shoot and we never knew how he did it, but he always found a tiny spot that was not covered with paper for the thing to fall on. So we had to clean it up quickly.
My Mom never got mad. Everyone was so impressed with this bird because he never missed a shot lol.
Well after three -four days and one turkey he was strong enough to let go and so we took him outside and he flew away but not before thanking us.
You think animals don't understand but they do. He flew in a circle came back and gave us a look to say thanks, before disappearing into the horizon.
Summers I spent swimming and helping to paint stairs, pulling weeds, reading. I had a great thirst for books for they were my window to the world.
These are things kids don't do today. Later on we built a second floor to our house and this I partook in. Our area was zoned for bungalows but then duplexes began to spring up so we had to upgrade so to speak.
My Dad gave me a job to clean the old bricks from the front of the house we took off and we used them for the side. The front got brand new white stones which were quite beautiful. Later he got another lot to build a country house and we spent every spare moment with hammer and nails. I learned what team work was like, with my Dad.
We'd work till noon and then went fishing and water skiing. Those days were my favorite days. I'd love to take the boat out. He got it second hand from a retired newspaper man. It had a siren and a 75 horsepower motor and you could even sleep in it. We tried it a few nights for the fun of it and slept in the middle of the river surrounded by bull frogs. It was great!
Then in the early dawn we'd catch fish for break fast and head on to my friends' camping ground to cook them.
My Dad loved camping so he got an axle from the junk yard and he welded himself a metal box frame. Before we knew it we had a fold out camping trailer. Then he got some canvas and sewed a tent to go over it. He got foam to make mattresses with. We had the best time with this trailer before we got the lot and he decided he liked the area enough to settle into a country house.

When we went home I used the trailer as my tree house in the back yard. It was my special place to go to play in.
Of course we had friends come over. My neighbor was always a princess and when we played dress up she would go into her dream land pretending. My dream was I was an amazon woman. I lived in a forest surrounded by danger and my friends were lions. Sorta like Tarzan, I had my own island and if anyone needed rescuing I was there to provide them secretly, with safety food and warmth. The trick was to never to be found out. lol

My aunt spent her money on clothes and parties and my Dad spent his, dollar down dollar a week on nails lol
Everything was a learning experience for my Mom and I and it was a good healthy life.

:)

The Innocent Traveller

I just finished reading a very nice Canadian novel, the Innocent Traveller, which is basically a saga of a woman, who lived 100 years.

It touched upon both England and Canada, mostly Vancouver, from 1895 on wards.

Topaz lived the life of a single woman. It gave me a little smirk because when I got married and they issued my marriage certificate, it said spinster of age on it.

I laughed when I saw it then and I still laugh at the comedy of being called a spinster, in my still young 20's.

Had I married at 15 or 16, the marriage certificate would have said the same thing.

The book went through this "spinsters'" child hood, how she was raised, how the people around her died, how this affected her life and how finally she arrived on the shores of English Bay to live on Hastings Street.

By the sound of how they portray this street and China town, this once must have been the best area to live in.

The life this lady lived reminded me of my own Aunt Eugenia, who was also a lovely, lively, carefree woman. She loved everything, life, love children family and wherever she went her

gusto for life affected every one around her. She was followed around like bees to honey, admired, invited everywhere for tea.

She had no time for philosophy or politics but roses, flowers, picnics, parties , good cooking

everything having to do with entertainment,was what she was good at.

She loved to dress and sewed her own ball gowns which she looked dazzling in.

This was a lady with so many high heeled shoes, which are still in style today, and hats and necklaces, all of which I covered myself in, from head to toe.

She was a lot different from my own strict Mother.

She never complained when I got into her closet and would laugh seeing me all dolled up in her things.

I have to admit I was a cutie pie from the pictures where she was holding hugging and kissing me after I was so naughty.

But one time she was not so happy with me and I actually made her cry.

This was when she worked a whole month at the sewing factory, to buy herself

a very expensive bottle of perfume.

Of course I went into her room and found it. Her room always smelled nice because she had this mirror tray on her boudoir with old fashioned perfume atomizers which you were able to pushpush from a little ball at the end of a tube. I still prefer these kind of perfume dispensers to the new ones which take the personal touch away from the person using it and only promotes the brand name of the seller.

They were gorgeous and I so loved to touch and look at them.

But this perfume she did not have time or maybe did not want to put into the atomizer and left the bottle in the mirror tray.

So my little fingers grabbed it and opened it, and dumped it on my white curly head.

Not only did I do that but I also heard some one coming so I hid under the bed and dumped the rest of it on my head .

I was able to sit under there so I must have been small or the bed must have been very high.

Of course I stunk to high heaven and I don't remember who found me but I don't think it was my aunt.

I think it was my Mother and she was aghast at what I had done because she was always chasing me out of my aunts' room.

We all lived together at that time like they did in Topaz' time.

My aunt came home and she cried.

No matter what they did they could not get the smell out of my hair for a month and every day she would come home I would sit and remind her of the awful thing I did and she'd go into her room to wipe a tear from her eye.

I felt soo bad because I finally understood that I had hurt this beautiful womans' feelings badly.

She was not married at that time and I was very protective of her when gentlemen callers came to visit.

Whenever they would sit on the couch, I would make sure to come sit between them.

When ever they would touch her hand I would take it away lol

One day, the man who would become my uncle, was doing things because he was amused by the way I was defending my aunt. He would sit and laugh and I got angry and told him that if he did not stop touching my aunt I was going to push him and he would get his pants wet in a river.

This was a very big thing for me. lol

Until he died, he reminded me of what I threatened him with and kept asking me if I still wanted to push him so he got his pants wet.lol

I had the same experience with my husbands' nephew.

My husband and I just got married and we were all sitting talking and somehow he asked me if his uncle and I slept together. Of course I told him Oh no. Uncle has his bed and I have mine.

Well his parents slept together , so his feelings were very hurt for me because I had to sleep by myself.

So my precious hero announced. Don't worry Auntie, I'm going to sleep with you. lol BIG MISTAKE!

Now he is grown, married, with his own children and I always ask him if he still wants to sleep with me. He gets embarrassed but I being an old chicken now, just laugh.

And so........this is family.

This is why family is important.

It keeps you alive and busy thinking about and caring about people around you who you love and become meaningful to you and your very existence. You worry about them and get into their business all for the purpose of having good will so they don't make big mistakes

which can cost them dearly raising their families.

So the Innocent Traveller brought back many memories for me because the people in it were very similar to those in my own family, where there always sat a heirarch which held things together by caring and then the heirarch dies and things disperse.

No matter how much you didn't like it, you respected family because it was the right thing to do.

You honoured it,because these people, with their busy body behavior loved and cared about you and what came out of their mouths could be trusted.

Every one of these people would stand up for you and your honor as much as for the family honor.

This is so different from todays' world where no one cares until someone is found in a ditch.

They put blame every where except where it belongs.

You always ask why was this person alone?

Why was this person not surrounded by a loving family?

Families separate. Behavior is selfish. Kids are not catered to and so much love is lost to

other things

and we wonder what happened to family?

Passion is also not something you get every day and breeding is not something that happens over night because you read a book or got a diploma. These things like family, become a way of life.

You have a passion for something that lasts a lifetime and breeding is something that keeps saying no, at a time when everything else says yes.

And yes keeps running on , saying yes till life becomes unbearable, and you wonder when and why NO became a bad word.

I enjoyed this book and it probably is something kids should read to have a taste of the old ways.

Who knows, it might skip a generation and have it grow on them, and their parents might end up being the lucky ones.

:)

Have a great Day!

The Perfect Christmas

This was a perfect Christmas for me this year.

I love blogging because I can share in why it was a perfect Christmas.

I made this picture which is a personal card I can send to all my friends and relatives

as well as my blogger friends.

My son made his gingerbread house on Christmas Eve and we all took part watching him do it.

The candle he gave me for Mother's Day and it smells so good

The egg I of course drew from a Christmas card my cousin sent me.

And Mary Joseph and Jesus was a gift I got from my son for Christmas.

I don't know how he knew I wanted one or where on earth he found it cause I never saw any around the stores.

I put it all together with a Picture I got from Bali . It was painted by a group of children sitting in a circle and this picture was passed around from 5 year olds to older children until it was finished and framed.

Each had a job to do on it.

This is why it is very special to me.

So now I put all the good meaningful things together and made this post card with a story to tell.

I had a perfect Christmas and

This is my world.

:)

Time For Christmas Spirit.

I liked this song sent to me by a dear friend.

We seem to be sending our kids the wrong idea about Christmas.

Like we do with many things, we side tracked away from the the Birthday of Jesus
to St Nick so stores could profit.

And why did St Nick give presents to the poor?

He was touched by God to do good deeds for the less fortunate. He was touched by the idea of the three wise men who searched far and wide till they found the new born babe in swaddling clothes lying in a manger surrounded by animals and hay, bringing gifts of gold, myrrh and frankincense.
They saw something special in a child from a poor family. They saw spiritual greatness, love and hope for the future of mankind. Their gifts were nothing compared to the glory of God in the highest, this child represented to them.

St Nick believed in the Father , the Son and the Holy Spirit and because of this, he was deemed a Saint. People might not have known who he was but they knew of his goodness and the charity he showed to those less fortunate.
St Nick was a man of mystery.
His existence was based on faith as our belief in God is based on faith.

We, from our generation, remember lots of cookies, to give as gifts this time of year.
Pop corn strewn on a string to hang on the tree.
Home made candies and chocolates also hung on the tree.
Candles are now replaced by lights but they must have emitted an extraordinary halo around the tree at night adding to the splendor and magic of this holiday.
Outside the snow would glisten like diamonds under a starry sky
Many people dressed up a tree in their back yard for the animals to nibble on.
Further south where it was warm the tradition continued and people designed their own ways to celebrate and kids would be introduced to joy and God through gifts of kindness .

Lots of families made personal gifts in preparation for this big event of birth.
This was a time of year to give something personal to a loved one, to show how much their birth meant to them. The three wise men began a tradition of gift giving which was followed up by St Nick and thus the birth of Christmas, as we know it, was initiated, to brighten and enlighten the eyes of children all around the world.

Every year we'd make something special with the year written on it. A painted bulb , an egg or some gold and silver paper design for the tree. An angel would sit on top of the tree or a star.
Underneath we'd have the nativity scene we so gently pack to keep for the following years.
We'd go to church and bring presents to place under the tree for the needy.

Great memories.

So the above song rings in bells of hope that we can bring back the true meaning of Christmas
into perspective, the way it was meant to be and if you are looking for gifts to buy, support your community. Buy a person a gift card for a hair cut or an oil change or a good restaurant, support your cobbler, dry cleaner, local wine maker, butcher, knitting/quilting shop, dressmaker, etc...
Once they close down or move, they will be missed.

Have a good one.

From the Mouths of Angels

I only know the names of two angels, Hark and Harold.
Gregory, age 5

Everybody's got it all wrong. Angels don't wear halos anymore.
I forget why, but scientists are working on it
-Olive, age 9

It's not easy to become an angel! First, you die..
Then you go to Heaven, and then there's still the flight training to go through.
And then you got to agree to wear those angel clothes.
-Matthew, age 9

Angels work for God and watch over kids when God
has to go do something else.
-Mitchell, age 7

My guardian angel helps me with math, but he's not much good for science.
-Henry, age 8

Angels don't eat, but they drink milk from Holy Cows!!!
-Jack, age 6

Angels talk all the way while they're flying you up to heaven.
The main subject is where you went wrong before you got dead.
Daniel, age 9

When an angel gets mad, he takes a deep breath and counts to ten.
And when he lets out his breath again, somewhere there's a tornado.
-Reagan, age 10


Angels have a lot to do and they keep very busy.
If you lose a tooth, an angel comes in through your window and leaves money under your pillow. Then when it gets cold, angels go south for the winter.
-Sara, age 6

Angels live in cloud houses made by God and his
son, who's a very good carpenter.
-Jared, age 8

All angels are girls because they gotta wear
dresses and boys didn't go for it.
-Antonio, age 9

My angel is my grandma who died last year. She got
a big head start on helping me while she was still down here on earth.
-Ashley ~ age 9

Some of the angels are in charge of helping heal sick animals and pets.
And if they don't make the animals get better, they help the child get over it.
- Vicki , age 8

What I don't get about angels is why, when someone is in love,
they shoot arrows at them.
-Sarah, age 7

My Kitty Hat

I put my knitting away and then this little creation appeared.
How it began is a mystery but I finished it and I feel a sense of accomplishment.
lol
The hat was done on very thin needles used for socks.
Another to add to my collection
I think I will soon have a store I can open with my own finished projects.
lol
It's nice to sit and do something without having to look at patterns or counts stitches.
Now I have to make something to go with it so it's a set.

At the bottom of the picture is a strand of folded chip bags to make a purse with.
It takes 7 x 60 link strands to make a small purse.
Now I know I can make them.
Quite exciting because it is not hard to do and the bags are gorgeous.
It pays to do projects.:)

The Kitty card is by an artist named Oresta

Have a good Day every one!!!
:)

Old Souls

No matter how many times this picture is drawn, or sketched,
I don't think people will ever get tired of it.

These artists seem to capture each generation with equal fascination.

You want to find out all you can about these people.
Who they were, what they did and what inspired them to create with such passion.

They drew their family members and their friends and just people in general
and here we are, years later, looking and wondering,
what were these people thinking at that moment?

Seeing a similar, so familiar face, in todays' world,
a fragment from the past...
then brings forth this feeling of
deja vous.

You've been there and done that before and you know because
you've seen it in the canvasses, the souls of the old masters.

:)
An out-of-towner accidentally drives his car into a deep ditch on the side of a country road. Luckily a farmer happened by with his big old horse named Benny. The man asked for help. The farmer said Benny could pull his car out. So he backed Benny up and hitched Benny to the man's car bumper. Then he yelled, "Pull, Nellie, pull." Benny didn't move. Then he yelled, "Come on, pull Ranger." Still, Benny didn't move. Then he yelled really loud, "Now pull, Fred, pull hard." Benny just stood. Then the farmer nonchalantly said, "Okay, Benny, pull." Benny pulled the car out of the ditch. The man was very appreciative but curious. He asked the farmer why he called his horse by the wrong name three times. The farmer said, "Oh, Benny is blind, and if he thought he was the only one pulling he wouldn't even try."

"Will I ever be able to race my horse again" the owner asked the vet. The vet replied, "You certainly will, and you'll probably beat her too!"

-------------------------

What did the horse say to whinnie the pooh while watching his t.v. show? I wish I could hear you whinnie.
------------------
Did you hear about the race horse that was so late coming in? They had to pay the jockey overtime!
------------------
You said this horse could jump as high as a ten foot fence and he can't jump at all.

Well neither can a fence!

---

Portrait Sketch

I love doing portraits
This is a sketch I did of my son this morning

It's amazing how your children take on features that are a mix of not only your
husband and yourself but also of grandparents and even great grandparents.
You get to see this a lot more clearly when you begin to draw them.

How they change from 2 - 10 -17 is amazing, and you wish that they'd stay small
cause they don't let you kiss their chubby cheeks anymore after they are grown.
lol

And well.... cheeks aren't chubby any more either. lol
Overnight, they become young men and women you don't recognize anymore.

And yet.......through pictures you see traces from the past.
Traces from faces which now are both deja vous and the future.

It gives you a funny feeling inside.
:)

Wanna know more about Christmas??

What do elves learn in school?
A: The Elf-abet!

Q: If athletes get athletes foot, what do astronauts get?
A: Missletoe!

Q: Why was Santa's little helper depressed?
A: Because he had low elf esteem.

Q: Why does Santa have 3 gardens?
A: So he can ho-ho-ho.

Q: Where do polar bears vote?
A: The North Poll.

Q: What do you get when you cross an archer with a gift-wrapper?
A: Ribbon hood.

Q: Why do birds fly south for the winter?
A: Because it's to far to walk.

Q: What was wrong with the boy's brand new toy electric train set he received for Christmas?
A: Forty feet of track - all straight!

Q: What kind of bird can write?
A: A PENguin.

Q: How does Al Gore's household keep Christmas politically correct?
A: On Christmas morning, they give the presents TO the tree.

Q: What do you call a cat on the beach at Christmas time?
A: Sandy Claus!

Q: How do sheep in Mexico say Merry Christmas?
A: Fleece Navidad!

Q: What nationality is Santa Claus?
A: North Polish.

Q: Why does Santa's sled get such good mileage?
A: Because it has long-distance runners on each side.

Q: What do you call a bunch of grandmasters of chess bragging about their games in a hotel lobby?
A: Chess nuts boasting in an open foyer!

Q: What do you get if you deep fry Santa Claus?
A: Crisp Cringle.

Q: What did the ghosts say to Santa Claus?
A: We'll have a boo Christmas without you.

Q: What did Santa shout to his toys on Christmas Eve?
A: Okay everyone, sack time!!

Q: What do snowmen eat for breakfast?
A: Snowflakes.

Q: If Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus had a child, what would he be called?
A: A subordinate claus.

Q: Why did the elf push his bed into the fireplace?
A: He wanted to sleep like a log.

Q: Why did Santa spell Christmas N-O-E?
A: Because the angel had said, "No L!"

Q: What goes Ho, Ho, Swoosh, Ho, Ho, Swoosh?
A: Santa caught in a revolving door!

Doily

This is a Doily I made about the same time as the sweater.

I was a novice at this, so found making knots, that became something,
quite interesting.
When this turned out I was shocked. lol

Now, we're cookin , I thought.

Gattina ........this was also never washed in over 20 years lol
Thought I'd mention it. lol

I put most of these things in zip lock bags , so they stay dust proof.

Again, it is so much fun to knit/crochet, with multicolored thread because you never know what you will come up with.

Autumn Leaves are falling and the day looks great.
:)

Breakfast with My Best Friend

This can brighten everyone's day:)
Good Ol Ginger.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaAVZ2yXDBo

Thinking In Spring

Nervosa went to a psychiatrist. "Doc," she said, "I have a problem.
When I climb in bed, I think there's somebody under it.
So I slide under the bed and then I think there's somebody on top of it.
All night I am either climbing into bed or under it and I am going insane.

The psychiatrist answered OK I'll schedule you for three times a week and in about two years we will know why you feel this way


"Great! Thanks.How much do you charge?"

"A hundred dollars per visit."

"OK I'll go sleep on it," said Nervosa.

Six months later the doctor met Nervosa on the street. "Why didn't you ever

come to see me again?" he asked.

" A bartender cured me for ten bucks, much cheaper and faster than you could have."

"Is that so! How?"

"He told me to just cut the legs off the bed!"

Now that's what I call thinking outside the box lol
---------------------------------------------
This Dude seems to be envisioning a paradigm consisting of a certain way of viewing reality through concepts values and practices.
It's either that or he is trying to find out the answer to EVERYTHING, which by the way I found out is 42 according to a computer which did a 7 million year analysis of the world. lol

I had no room to put another guy in the next stall which might have been in a totally different paradigm.
Can a paradigm be equated to a cult? Why do we speak of paradigm shifts?

ALL IS GOD or ALL IS ONE.

Or maybe the Dude just drank from the decaf pot lol

Maybe I should watch LOST. They must have the answer. So far it just seems to be all like a dream.

Calendar of Life's Circle of Life

This perfect flower with its yellow crown, shows, with its pollen and petals. how life inter laps and goes full circle.Moments in history also repeat themselves.:)
Click a Day to See Its Trivia

Happy New Year to everyone.....

I would like to wish each and everyone of you and your families and close ones a very Happy New Year, filled with Joy, Happiness, Health and prosperity...do take care of your families and close ones for that's what Life is all about...this time of the year reminds me, as a little girl growing up, of our close knit family, which consisted my mom, dad, Baboushka, Dedoushka, uncles, aunts and cousins...my Dad and I would go shopping on St-Lawrence street in Montreal for the meal to be prepared for a once a year feast to be enjoyed by the entire family...my aunt and her family used to drive down from NY state to celebrate the New Year with us...those were the days...these are the fond memories of a child grown up and nurtured in a loving and caring family...I have since grown up, married my sweetheart and had children of my own and we still do the same traditional stuff at New Year's...even though, sadly, my parents are no longer phyically with us, their spiritual presence and love is felt by each one of us at the New Year's table and toasts...May they rest in peace till we meet again eternally in a life beyond...
God Bless you all and Happy New Year to All.

Christmas Caroling

Walking for the first time in down town Vancouver, happened to be around the Christmas period for me.
What made it special, was seeing Christmas carolers, dressed in costumes of days of old .
They were just like my Christmas cards I had tucked away for safe keeping, treasured memories of days gone by,
when people used to go to ice rinks and live in small towns with small churches and horse drawn carriages.
Looking at these cards allowed me to dream about how pleasant, kind and nice life could be.

It reminded me of days in Montreal on St Catherine Street when all three of our biggest stores,
Simpsons, Eatons and The Hudsons Bay Co.behaved like a big family,
filling their windows full of wonderful winter scenes, elves, trains, Christmas trees and boxes and boxes of presents.
Those windows were always packed with people, who just couldn’t get enough of these displays.
I was one of them.

In Vancouver, suddenly, snow flakes began falling on quiet empty streets because families
were all at home enjoying a few days of long awaited rest.
I was a visitor, far away from home, looking for the hotel with the “big green roof” to have my Christmas meal in.lol

It was a lonely time of year for me that year but inside the hotel, the buffet was great and the people seemed to be quietly enjoying it.
During the week of my visit, I frequented many an establishment and saw people singing carols in many different ways.
They turned them into rock and roll and today into rap.

It seems that every generation has a love and a use for them.

Our heritage traditions are unique and they are what makes this country a special place to live.
Christmas is just as important as the Thanksgiving Turkey on our table.

Granted, some people just don’t care about holidays or celebrations of any kind.. They sit like Uncle Scrooges and Grinches complaining,
feeling they are doing this country a favor by getting rid of the past, which reminds people of colonialism, emperialism and the world wars.

They seem to think that by getting rid of all the memories, people will heal and have nothing more to gripe about.
There has never been a day in history where people didn’t complain and there never will be.
Some just live to complain.
Historians believe we cannot run away from our past.

We can learn from it, celebrate it, understand it, share it,
try not to repeat it but it is never healthy to keep it hidden in a closet
like it never happened, because it did.


Some people may not like Carolers or Christmas or the Bible but like it or not, this country was built on these institutions
and they are things all Canadians have, to be proud of.

These are things I will tell my grand children about and they will tell theirs and one day
maybe they will become just stories to remember written in some musty history book.

One day some one will pick up a book of Legends and read it and say Hey! Now there’s an idea.

Lets do a Carolers Day or a Christmas Day because it brought peace and joy and comfort to a lot of families and while
we’re at it maybe the idea of FAMILY should be revived as well and Thanks giving.

Now why do you think they got rid of all these things? They’d ask.

Because……………. Good things …………….never die.


Brenda Lee Rockin Around the Christmas Tree.

U R MY LIFE

 

One day u will ask me:
What is more important to u,
me or ur life?

I will say:
my life..!

You will walk away from me
without knowing that

U R MY LIFE!

Mario Lanza You are my love
You're the sun in my sky

King Tut Mask 2009

 

I wish I could take credit for this one but I can't.
It was a school project my son had to do recently.
He and his friend had to make a King Tut Mask.

My son used different colored play dough and he liked the result.
BUT
What happened was that as it dried, it began to crack..

So....... Help Mom! lol

I told him first off to use a brush and cover it with glue to prevent it from completely falling apart.

Then I figured the next step would be to use toilet paper which splits into very thin sheets.
When you put glue on the piece you work on, you can smooth the paper onto the surface, with the glue,
with a wet brush.

So he did that and it gave it a lovely textured look but it no longer had the different
colored play dough which he liked.

So then I found my old gold spray paint can( praying OH God I hope I don't have to buy a new one cause the spray thingy is clogged. I hate school projects cause you spend so much money on art supplies just to throw it away later)
I used it to recycle a old piece of furniture. Thankfully it worked but just a little, enough for him to spray his masterpiece.

Then came the art work and he had to paint on all the lines the eyes.
Then we had to figure out how to present it.
The dollar store had great framed canvasses. I thought hmmm.
If you inverse it, it makes a fine frame.
So we got black poster board the framed canvass and it was off to finish the project.

It is so hard to get teenagers to spend time with you, so I had great time helping my son to figure things out without actually doing anything lol
He appreciated it, cause to leave it the way it was, just with the play dough, was not going to work.lol

He glued the poster board into the back of the framed canvass and then the King Tut Mask onto that.
It dried over night and Voila..... an A grade on something he himself was surprised to have achieved and something he was very proud of himself.

This piece is sure to be something I want framed and put in his room.

Cindy Oh Cindy (Cinderella)

Cindy Oh Cindy...click to watch

Happy Father's Day

The Lady of this blog wishes you all a Happy Father's Day

Love...Love...Love...true love

Love – Tremendous and New - Every Moment of Every Day
Love - Not Young nor Old – In Life and Death –
Sentimental Passion – A Deep Profound Crevice One Falls Into Without Fear,
Without Remorse - Without Trust - Without Dignity - Without Logic – Explanation.
To Love – Is To Love – Is To Love.
Without a World – Without Sight – Without Air.
To Surrender Completely
Oh Death……. Let me Live.

Love letters like you never seen before...trust me on this one

Abigail Adams ~ Dec 23, 1782
...should I draw you the picture of my heart it would be what I hope you would still love though it contained nothing new. The early possession you obtained there, and the absolute power you have obtained over it, leaves not the smallest space unoccupied.
I look back to the early days of our acquaintance and friendship as to the days of love and innocence, and, with an indescribable pleasure, I have seen near a score of years roll over our heads with an affection heightened and improved by time, nor have the dreary years of absence in the smallest degree effaced from my mind the image of the dear untitled man to whom I gave my heart.
Abigail Adams to John Adams, her husband. He became the second president of the United States. Written December 23, 1782
Beethoven ~ July 6, 1806
My angel, my all, my very self -- only a few words today and at that with your pencil -- not till tomorrow will my lodgings be definitely determined upon -- what a useless waste of time. Why this deep sorrow where necessity speaks -- can our love endure except through sacrifices -- except through not demanding everything -- can you change it that you are not wholly mine, I not wholly thine?
Oh, God! look out into the beauties of nature and comfort yourself with that which must be -- love demands everything and that very justly -- that it is with me so far as you are concerned, and you with me. If we were wholly united you would feel the pain of it as little as I!
Now a quick change to things internal from things external. We shall surely see each other; moreover, I cannot communicate to you the observations I have made during the last few days touching my own life -- if our hearts were always close together I would make none of the kind. My heart is full of many things to say to you - Ah! -- there are moments when I feel that speech is nothing after all -- cheer up -- remain my true, only treasure, my all as I am yours; the gods must send us the rest that which shall be best for us.
Your faithful,Ludwig

Juliet Drouet ~ 1835
Friday 8 p.m.
If only I were a clever woman, I could describe to you my gorgeous bird, how you unite in yourself the beauties of form, plumage, and song!
I would tell you that you are the greatest marvel of all ages, and I should only be speaking the simple truth. But to put all this into suitable words, my superb one, I should require a voice far more harmonious than that which is bestowed upon my species - for I am the humble owl that you mocked at only lately, therefore, it cannot be.
I will not tell you to what degree you are dazzling and to the birds of sweet song who, as you know, are none the less beautiful and appreciative.
I am content to delegate to them the duty of watching, listening and admiring, while to myself I reserve the right of loving; this may be less attractive to the ear, but it is sweeter far to the heart.
I love you, I love you. my Victor; I can not reiterate it too often; I can never express it as much as I feel it.
I recognise you in all the beauty that surrounds me in form, in colour, in perfume, in harmonious sound: all of these mean you to me. You are superior to all. I see and admire - you are all!
You are not only the solar spectrum with the seven luminous colours, but the sun himself, that illumines, warms, and revivifies! This is what you are, and I am the lowly woman that adores you.
Juliette
Juliette Drouet, French actress, to Victor Hugo, French writer, some time in 1835. She wrote passionate and lyrical love letters to Hugo for over 50 years.

Lord Byron ~ August 25, 1819
My dearest Teresa,
I have read this book in your garden;--my love, you were absent, or else I could not have read it. It is a favourite book of yours, and the writer was a friend of mine. You will not understand these English words, and others will not understand them,--which is the reason I have not scrawled them in Italian. But you will recognize the handwriting of him who passionately loved you, and you will divine that, over a book which was yours, he could only think of love.
In that word, beautiful in all languages, but most so in yours--Amor mio--is comprised my existence here and hereafter. I feel I exist here, and I feel I shall exist hereafter,--to what purpose you will decide; my destiny rests with you, and you are a woman, eighteen years of age, and two out of a convent. I love you, and you love me,--at least, you say so, and act as if you did so, which last is a great consolation in all events.
But I more than love you, and cannot cease to love you. Think of me, sometimes, when the Alps and ocean divide us, --but they never will, unless you wish it.
Winston Churchill ~ January 23, 1935
My darling Clemmie,
In your letter from Madras you wrote some words very dear to me, about my having enriched your life. I cannot tell you what pleasure this gave me, because I always feel so overwhelmingly in your debt, if there can be accounts in love.... What it has been to me to live all these years in your heart and companionship no phrases can convey.
Time passes swiftly, but is it not joyous to see how great and growing is the treasure we have gathered together, amid the storms and stresses of so many eventful and to millions tragic and terribleyears?
Your loving husband

John Constable ~ February 27, 1816
I received your letter my ever dearest Maria, this morning. You know my anxious disposition too well not be aware how much I feel at this time. At the distance we are from each other every fear will obtrude itself on my mind. Let me hope that you are not really worse than your kindness, your affection, for me make you say...I think...that no more molestation will arise to the recovery of your health, which I pray for beyond every other blessing under heaven.
Let us...think only of the blessings that providence may yet have in store for us and that we may yet possess. I am happy in love--an affection exceeding a thousand times my deserts, which has continued so many years, and is yet undiminished...Never will I marry in this world if I marry not you. Truly can I say that for the seven years since I avowed my love for you, I have...foregone all company, and the society of all females (except my own relations) for your sake.
I am still ready to make my sacrifice for you...I will submit to any thing you may command me--but cease to respect, to love and adore you I never can or will. I must still think that we should have married long ago--we should have had many troubles--but we have yet had no joys, and we could not have starved...Your FRIENDS have never been without a hope of parting us and see what that has cost us both--but no more. Believe me, my beloved & ever dearest Maria, most faithfully yours, John

Count Gabriel Honore de Mirbeau ~ 1780
Sophie,
To be with the people one loves, says La Bruyere is enough -- to dream you are speaking to them, not speaking to them, thinking of them, thinking of the most indifferent things, but by their side, nothing else matters. O mon amie, how true that is! and it is also true that when one acquires such a habit, it becomes a necessary part of one's existence.
Alas! I well know, I should know too well, since the three months that I sigh, far away from thee, that I possess thee no more, than my happiness has departed. However, when every morning I wake up, I look for you, it seems to me that half of myself is missing, and that is too true.
Twenty times during the day, I ask myself where you are; judge how strong the illusion is, and how cruel it is to see it vanish. When I go to bed, I do not fail to make room for you; I push myself quite close to the wall and leave a great empty space in my small bed. This movement is mechanical, these thoughts are involuntary. Ah! how one accustoms oneself to happiness.
Alas! one only knows it well when one has lost it, and I'm sure we have only learnt to appreciate how necessary we are to each other, since the thunderbolt has parted us. The source of our tears has not dried up, dear Sophie; we cannot become healed; we have enough in our hearts to love always, and, because of that, enough to weep always.
Gabriel

John Keats ~ March 1820
Sweetest Fanny,
You fear, sometimes, I do not love you so much as you wish? My dear Girl I love you ever and ever and without reserve. The more I have known you the more have I lov'd. In every way - even my jealousies have been agonies of Love, in the hottest fit I ever had I would have died for you. I have vex'd you too much. But for Love! Can I help it? You are always new. The last of your kisses was ever the sweetest; the last smile the brightest; the last movement the gracefullest. When you pass'd my window home yesterday, I was fill'd with as much admiration as if I had then seen you for the first time. You uttered a half complaint once that I only lov'd your Beauty. Have I nothing else then to love in you but that? Do not I see a heart naturally furnish'd with wings imprison itself with me? No ill prospect has been able to turn your thoughts a moment from me. This perhaps should be as much a subject of sorrow as joy - but I will not talk of that. Even if you did not love me I could not help an entire devotion to you: how much more deeply then must I feel for you knowing you love me. My Mind has been the most discontented and restless one that ever was put into a body too small for it. I never felt my Mind repose upon anything with complete and undistracted enjoyment - upon no person but you. When you are in the room my thoughts never fly out of window: you always concentrate my whole senses. The anxiety shown about our Love in your last note is an immense pleasure to me; however you must not suffer such speculations to molest you any more: not will I any more believe you can have the least pique against me. Brown is gone out -- but here is Mrs Wylie -- when she is gone I shall be awake for you. -- Remembrances to your Mother.
Your affectionate, J. Keats

Ronald Reagan ~ March 4, 1983
Dear First Lady
I know tradition has it that on this morning I place cards Happy Anniversary cards on your breakfast tray. But things are somewhat mixed up. I substituted a gift & delivered it a few weeks ago.
Still this is the day, the day that marks 31 years of such happiness as comes to few men. I told you once that it was like an adolescent's dream of what marriage should be like. That hasn't changed.
You know I love the ranch but these last two days made it plain I only love it when you are there. Come to think of it that's true of every place & every time. When you aren't there I'm no place, just lost in time & space.
I more than love you, I'm not whole without you. You are life itself to me. When you are gone I'm waiting for you to return so I can start living again.
Happy Anniversary & thank you for 31 wonderful years.
I love you
Your Grateful Husband

Edith Wharton ~ June 8, 1908
There would have been the making of an accomplished flirt in me, because my lucidity shows me each move of the game - but that, in the same instant, a reaction of contempt makes me sweep all the counters off the board and cry out: - "Take them all - I don't want to win - I want to lose everything to you!"
Edith Wharton, an American novelist to W Morton Fullerton, an American journalist, June 8, 1908

Courtesy of